SOUND CHECK: Band of Horses "learned a lot" when Glyn Johns took controls

GARY GRAFF

Published 12:00 am, Friday, November 30, 2012

The main difference between the new "Mirage Rock" and Band of Horses' other three albums was in the studio control room, says frontman Ben Bridwell.

The rootsy Seattle rock group brought in veteran Glyn Johns, who's worked with the Beatles, the Who, the Eagles, Led Zeppelin and Bob Dylan, among others, and he in turn introduced the quintet to an old school creative aesthetic it hadn't yet experienced.

"That became a really exciting prospect, that we'd probably not be working in the edit-heavy machinery end of modern technology and going back to just punching some tape," Bridwell says. "That became kind of the M.O. (Johns) wouldn't even use the automation on the console!

"He was just incredibly hands-on, and without the benefits of not only technology but also overdoing it with too many other people who aren't in the band. He was like, 'That's what you play in the band. Why don't you just play that and we'll keep overdubs to a minimum.'"

Bridwell, 34, adds that working with Johns was "like your dad at the batting cage or something, telling you to keep your head down." And, he adds, the producer pulled no punches when it came to input.

"With everyone contributing to the songwriting process, including Glyn, they're going to get some feelings hurt, maybe -- even me," Bridwell notes. "But you kind of realized where (the song's) heart is and if it's worth exploring.

"Sometimes we'd attempt that and realize, 'Maybe this isn't the right song for right now. This (song) is an art project. Just because we have the color lime green doesn't mean we have to paint with it this time.' We really learned a lot."